Designed by Captain G. Le Père of the French Air Service in 1918, the Packard Le Père-Lusac II was the first escort fighter developed by the United States during World War I. Equipped with two machine guns, the sturdy two-seater was fast, manoeuvrable and had an excellent rate of climb. In September 1918, its performance during air trials was so impressive that about 4,500 planes were ordered from the manufacturer. By the time of the Armistice, the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan had only built 27 planes.